Use of hierarchical video and image coding for telepresence

Abstract

A medical telepresence system comprising: an interface to receive a plurality of data feeds from a live medical procedure, at least one data feed comprising a video signal capturing the live medical procedure; a hierarchical encoder to encode the plurality of data feeds using a first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme, wherein encoded data from the hierarchical encoder is decodable by a first set of computing devices for viewing, the first set of computing devices being communicatively coupled to the hierarchical encoder using a first network connection; a transcoder to convert from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme to a second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme, wherein encoded data from the transcoder is receivable by a second set of computing devices for viewing, the second set of computing devices being communicatively coupled to the transcoder using a second network connection, the second network connection being of a lower quality than the first network connection; and a recorder to store the output of the hierarchical encoder as a set of tier-based files for later retrieval, wherein each of the set of tier-based files represent different levels of quality.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A medical telepresence system comprising:
 an interface to receive a plurality of data feeds from a live medical procedure, at least one data feed comprising a video signal capturing the live medical procedure; 
 a hierarchical encoder to encode the plurality of data feeds using a first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme, wherein encoded data from the hierarchical encoder is decodable by a first set of computing devices for viewing, the first set of computing devices being communicatively coupled to the hierarchical encoder using a first network connection; 
 a transcoder to convert from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme to a second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme, wherein encoded data from the transcoder is receivable by a second set of computing devices for viewing, the second set of computing devices being communicatively coupled to the transcoder using a second network connection, the second network connection being of a lower quality than the first network connection; and 
 a recorder to store the output of the hierarchical encoder as a set of tier-based files for later retrieval, wherein each of the set of tier-based files represent different levels of quality, 
 wherein the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme is SMPTE VC-6 and the second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme is MPEG-5, Part-2, LCEVC. 
 
     
     
       2. The medical telepresence system of  claim 1 , wherein the encoded data from the hierarchical encoder comprises multiple encoded layers that enable one or more of panning, zooming, and region of interest selection by one or more of the first and second set of computing devices. 
     
     
       3. The medical telepresence system of  claim 2 , wherein a base layer in a corresponding one of the first and second tier-based hierarchical data coding schemes is transmitted to all of the first and second set of computing devices and wherein data for one or more higher level layers in the corresponding one of the first and second tier-based hierarchical data coding schemes is only supplied for a region of interest that is less than a full field of view. 
     
     
       4. The medical telepresence system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of data feeds comprise a plurality of video signals, 
 wherein at least a base layer for each of the plurality of video signals in a corresponding one of the first and second tier-based hierarchical data coding schemes is transmitted to all of the first and second set of computing devices and wherein one or more higher level layers for each of the plurality of video signals in the corresponding one of the first and second tier-based hierarchical data coding schemes are selectively supplied to the first and second set of computing devices based on viewing configurations on said devices, and 
 wherein the set of tier-based files comprise the base layer and the one or more higher level layers. 
 
     
     
       5. The medical telepresence system of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of computing devices comprises a desktop computing device communicatively coupled via a local area network and the second set of computing devices comprises a mobile computing device communicatively coupled via a wide area network. 
     
     
       6. The medical telepresence system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data feeds comprises, in addition to one or more video signals, one or more of:
 medical images relating to a region associated the live medical procedure; and 
 computer models relating to a region associated the live medical procedure. 
 
     
     
       7. A method for medical telepresence, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of data feeds from a live medical procedure, at least one data feed comprising a video signal capturing the live medical procedure; 
 encoding the plurality of data feeds using a first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme; 
 transcoding the encoded data from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme to a second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme; 
 storing the encoded data from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme; 
 receiving a request to view at least a portion of one of the plurality of data feeds from a computing device; 
 selecting encoded data from one of the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme and the second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme based on one or more of location, network connection and properties of the computing device; and 
 supplying said encoded data for decoding and viewing using the computing device, 
 wherein the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme is SMPTE VC-6 and the second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme is MPEG-5, Part-2, LCEVC. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 supplying a base layer of said encoded data for decoding and viewing using the computing device; 
 receiving a request to view a region of interest in one or the plurality of data feed; 
 transmitting encoded data for one or more higher level layers to the computing device in response to the request, the encoded data being associated with the region of interest and allowing the decoding and viewing of a spatial area that is less that a full field of view. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 supplying base layers of said encoded data for each of the plurality of data feeds to the computing device; and 
 supplying one or more higher level layers for a subset of the plurality of data feeds. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of data feeds comprises, in addition to one or more video signals, one or more of:
 medical images relating to a region associated the live medical procedure; and 
 computer models relating to a region associated the live medical procedure. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 retrieving the stored encoded data during a replay of the live medical procedure. 
 
     
     
       12. A computer-readable storage medium or data carrier comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 receive a plurality of data feeds from a live medical procedure, at least one data feed comprising a video signal capturing the live medical procedure; 
 encode the plurality of data feeds using a first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme; 
 transcode the encoded data from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme to a second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme; 
 store the encoded data from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme; 
 receive a request to view at least a portion of one of the plurality of data feeds from a computing device; 
 select encoded data from one of the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme and the second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme based on one or more of location, network connection and properties of the computing device; and 
 supply said encoded data for decoding and viewing using the computing device, 
 wherein the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme is SMPTE VC-6 and the second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme is MPEG-5, Part-2, LCEVC.